


Control

by aaronminyxrd



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe- Percy Jackson, Angst, Crossover, Dissociation, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-14
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-20 19:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4798952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aaronminyxrd/pseuds/aaronminyxrd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." </p>
<p>Iwaizumi Hajime. Oikawa Tooru.<br/>They have met once, long, long ago, and they will meet again.<br/>But as the monsters continue to stir, and the two meet with Iwaizumi's dagger pressed against Oikawa's throat, will they reconcile as friends, or foes?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> In which fate makes its move.

**_“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break."_ **

**IWAIZUMI**

  _"_ _I wouldn’t leave if I were you.”_

Iwaizumi scowled as me mumbled curse words to himself, which earned him some strange looks from the people around him as they passed him in order to walk home. He ran a hand through his dark hair, letting out an irritated sigh. “And why shouldn’t I leave?”

He waited for about five minutes in front of his locker, the blue color used to paint it long ago still fading, and soon, it would be reduced to nothing but a stale gray. He picked at the fraying paint with his fingers before punching his locker in frustration, looking around the hallway once more to see it was empty before doing so again. Ever since he was a child, he had always had a female voice in his head, speaking to him in times of need, giving him advice when he was in distress, but he never found out who she was, and whenever he asked, she would disappear.

Now, she was popping up less frequently, and it bothered him. Not a day went by where he wondered if he had done something wrong, or had done something to upset her. He had even tried hanging around with some of the more troublesome kids, hoping she would come back to chastise him, but he received no response. He could still remember the first time she had spoken to him, also known as the day when he first found out he was different.

He had lost his mother at the early age of five, about two years after they had moved to the United States, but even at such a tender age, the loss weighed heavily on him as it did to the family dynamic, with his father resulting to drinking and leaving for days on end, often leaving Iwaizumi to fend for himself.

He spent most of the time locked up in his room, eating only what he deemed necessary in case his father remained gone for another day. He often kept up the facade of being a regular, happy five year old, but as his life continued to fall apart, he became depressed, and instead of being able to enjoy his childhood, he had to grow up faster than the other children in his life. He bottled up his emotions well enough, forcing himself not to cry, holding on to the belief that one day, his father will come home for good, and that remained his belief until he realized he never would.

There came the time when he hadn’t returned for months, and Iwaizumi only received word from him in his occasional letters containing vague information and money, and when the last letter came saying he had called his aunt to take care of him from now on, that was when he broke.

He became detached and unresponsive, skipping his meals until he became bony and frail, and only coming out of his room when he saw fit. In spite of her best efforts, he made sure his aunt couldn’t get to him, locking himself inside and speaking to her rarely.

He had become the worst version of himself, and had that voice not stopped him as he looked at his scissors with dead, tired eyes, he didn’t know if he would have lived to see himself become not the best version, but definitely a better one. He let out a small smile as her words came back to him, leaning against his locker as he did so.

_"I never thought I would see you become like this. You were always such a happy boy.”_

_He had covered his ears, thinking it was his mind playing tricks on him again, letting his small body sink further into the mattress. “Go away.”_

_"I think it’s time we had a little talk, Hajime.”_

_“Who are you?”_

_“Why, dear, I’m your mother.”_

_His eyes opened, and they burned ferociously with anger and hurt as he sat up on his knees, on the brink of tears. “My mother..is dead!” he screamed at the empty room, and as he said those words, he burst into tears, letting everything out at that moment. He had bawled for so long, not caring if anyone would hear him._

_Silence filled the room once more, until he felt himself beginning to become warm, as if he were enveloped in someone’s arms, but when he looked up, no one was there. Trying to get his emotions under control once more, he wiped his tears away sluggishly, but that only caused more to run down his cheeks._

_“Shh, it’s okay, dear. Sometimes, you have to cry.”_

_“I don’t want to! I want to become strong!”_

_"Oh, but you_ are _strong. Stronger than you think. You know, even some of the strongest heroes cry sometimes, but even so, they overcome even the hardest obstacles, just like what you’ve been doing. They may break, and they may become weary, but they still find a way to fight and be kind to others; to spread love and care while boosting their own morale as well as the morale of others, and that’s what makes them a hero, my dear son. That’s what makes you a hero. ”_

_He sniffed as he leaned into the invisible entity’s touch, his voice coming out broken and small. “Really?”_

_“Really.”_

_He stayed that way for a while, letting himself be comforted by someone he couldn’t even see. At seven, he wanted to believe that even just one person could understand the pain and the suffering he had had to endure by himself since his mother died, but the rational part of him couldn’t let that one question he needed to ask go by unspoken._

_“If you’re my mother, then why did you leave? Why did you die?”_

_He heard her sigh in his mind, and though he no longer felt as if he was being held, the overwhelming feeling of warmth and protection never left._

_“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I didn’t. That was your other mother.”_

_“My..what?” He was genuinely confused now, unable to fully understand what she meant._

_“She took care of you and your father while I was away.”_

_“Why were you away? I wouldn’t have cared about having two moms.”_

_“I couldn’t stay.”_

_“But why?”_

_“I..wasn’t allowed to.”_

_“But that’s stupid! Where have you been these past two years? Where were you when I_ needed _you?” his voice was beginning to get louder, her reasoning leaving him unsatisfied and angry. Yes, she was here now, but he couldn’t help but feel frustrated that she could have been here all this time._

_“I’m sorry, Hajime, I really am. I couldn’t be there for you then, but I’m here for you now. All my children deserve to feel the love of a parent.”_

_“What do you mean by ‘all your children’?!” he exclaimed, completely missing the point of her words._

_“Oh dear. I think it’s time we had a little talk.”_

He never forgot that night, and lived by her words. To be kind, but resolute; to show care, but not to be swept away easily by people’s words. She had told him once that he was a hero, and had the potential on becoming a great one if he learned to control his stubborn and slightly violent tendencies, but he wasn’t sure if those two traits would ever go away.

He chuckled as their little talk of why she had so many other children was remembered, but instead of his younger self being appalled, he had been ecstatic to find out he had so many other siblings.

As he got older, he began to wonder what made his mother reach out to him that way, for even though she made it clear she tried her best with her other kids, she couldn’t exactly make it a daily thing, but whenever he tried to bring up the subject in previous conversations, she would always brush it off, claiming it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. Not only that, but she refused to tell him who she even was, and it frustrated him to no end knowing that he had such a powerful being as a parent, but not being told who. Though it was probably to help him keep even the slightest bit more hidden, it still didn’t ease his agitation.

_Once you realize, once you know, they will too, regardless of how much knowledge you wield._

He had embraced being what he was from the very beginning--or at least, until the monsters came along. It wasn’t as awesome when they decided to crash the party.

His first encounter was when he was almost ten, and though it was nothing big, it did end up with him having a few scratches here and there. He brushed it off, but his aunt (who he gradually grew closer too once he found out she wasn’t exactly unaware of his actual identity) and his mother freaked out, ultimately resulting in him taking MMA classes as well as inheriting his father’s old silver dagger his aunt hid, reluctant at first on giving it to someone so young. None of the others he encountered were really a major threat to his life, but he couldn’t help but feel that for the last few months, they were getting rowdier, more persistent, and definitely multiplying. Their attacks these days were becoming more frequent and less thought out; they were gaining confidence, and it made him uneasy, and he sang to himself--something he always did when something was troubling him.

He was brought out of his thoughts from a soft tapping sound now echoing throughout the halls, the sound becoming louder by the second, and his head immediately shot up, taking a good look at his surroundings. _Shit, how long have I been standing here?_

Despite his mother’s original warning, he began to hurriedly make his way towards the exit, his hand sliding into his bag. mentally slapping himself for getting so carried away with his thoughts. Passing by a window, he realized the sun was already well into setting, the shadows taking over day’s light. _Aunt Rose is going to be worried._

He bit his lip as he took out his phone, wondering if it would be safe enough at this time, but he wasn’t able to reach a decision.

The phone crashed to the floor as he felt someone grab his shoulder, and he twisted the person’s arm in retaliation, pushing them against the wall, his dagger inches away from the other’s neck, their face obscured by the hood of their jacket.

Pressing the blade harder against his neck, he ripped off the hood, taken off guard as green eyes clashed with dark brown, and his grip on the weapon loosened ever so slightly.

“Oikawa?”

His eyes widened before trying to grab at Iwaizumi again, causing him to put more pressure on the knife once more. His voice was shaky, and Iwaizumi could barely hear him. “I..need to..need to get out.” he gasped. “I..”

He lowered his knife reluctantly, seeing that Oikawa looked too weak at the moment to be of any threat, but he kept him pinned to the wall in case he tried anything. _What is he still doing here so late? Could he be a threat?_

Oikawa was breathing heavily as he examined him, frowning at the sight of the boy before him looking so lost, alone, and utterly afraid. He knew Oikawa Tooru to be a cheery, competitive, and rather satirical individual, but anything besides that was beyond him. The two barely knew each other, much less spoke, and belonged to two different groups, but he was sure of one thing: he was not one to show weakness, whether it be physical or emotional. He showed no signs of frailty, keeping up the facade of him being untouchable and unbreakable, but Iwaizumi knew better. He knew it was just an act; after all, he did it everyday too.

But here he was now, with his wavy brown hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot and weary, and his whole body shaking. Oikawa Tooru, the boy who kept up appearances, and wore a disgustingly smug expression, now lay at his mercy, looking as if he could burst to tears at any given moment, and he needed to know why.

“Oikawa, why are you here? Were you following me?”

“You...wish..” he managed to whisper, and Iwaizumi resisted the urge to punch him for coming back to his shit-eating self at such a crucial moment.

“Then why are you here?”

He started to say something, but stopped as mocking laughter resonated throughout the halls. His body stiffened, and his eyes widened, pushing himself further against the wall as he held his breath.

_“Tooru, I know you’re here~”_

Iwaizumi cursed under his breath, having heard that sickly sweet voice not so long ago, and he let go of Oikawa completely, proceeding to run towards the sound of the monster’s voice, but before he could do so, the other boy grabbed at his sleeve, his expression frightened and pleading. “ _Please,_ help me get out.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, not knowing how to properly explain the situation at hand. “Oikawa, you don’t understand-”

“Iwaizumi,” he whispered, his voice almost inaudible. “ _Please._ ”

The monster’s laughter was beginning to become louder and louder, and if he didn’t act soon, they would both end up dead, and seeing the state Oikawa was in, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to hold his own if they had to fight.

Seeing no other choice, he took Oikawa’s hand in his free one and began to run, not daring to look back.

“W-Where are we going?!”

Iwaizumi closed his eyes for a brief moment as they reached the doors, and he flung them open without a moment’s hesitation. _Dammit, this is going to be dangerous, and a total waste of time if this guy ends up being normal, but what choice do I have? There might be more of them, I can’t bring Aunt Rose directly into this, and there’s nowhere else to go._

“I know a place.”

 

**OIKAWA:**

They had been running for what seemed like forever now, and if the other boy didn’t have the need to borrow his phone in order to call his aunt, they probably would have kept going for longer. Iwaizumi pulled him into a dark alley, making him crouch behind piles of garbage in order to keep hidden, and Oikawa’s face scrunched up as he resisted the urge to gag at the awful stench.

“Do we have to hide _here?_ ” he whined. “Wait, don’t tell me that _this_ is the “place” you were talking about!”

“Be quiet!” Iwaizumi hissed, checking their surroundings before looking at Oikawa expectantly, causing him to squirm awkwardly in place, confused as to what the other could want from him.

“What?” he asked.

“I need to make a call-”

“You said two minutes ago!”

“I know, but to do that, I need you to let go of my hand.” he calmly stated, raising his left hand, and Oikawa tried to keep his cool when he realized he was still grasping it tightly. He apologized quietly before letting go, deciding to gaze at the wall in front of him instead, wishing he hadn’t gotten himself in a situation where his savior was a guy he barely knew.

Minutes passed, but Iwaizumi still hadn’t made a call, and Oikawa wondered why he was hesitating to do something so simple. He sat there, trying to steady his breathing in order to regain his usual composure. Though he was grateful for Iwaizumi saving him from whatever _that_ was, it still didn’t help the fact he had almost slit his throat in the process, and as the sun continued to set, his feeling of apprehension grew stronger. _Why are we still here?_

“Listen, Oikawa, before I call my aunt, you need to know some things.”

“Such as why you have the need to carry around a silver dagger?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow while eyeing the weapon on the ground.

“That’s hardly relevant at the moment,”

“You almost killed me!”

He just rolled his eyes, as if the comment was preposterous. “Self defense, obviously. Oikawa, I need you to tell me how you ended up running from...um..”

“Veronica. At least, she _was_ Veronica, but then I didn’t know _what_ she was..” he drifted off, remembering the sudden change in her expression, her actions, and her entire being.

“I need you to tell me everything.”

“Why-”

“ _Everything_ , and don’t leave out a single detail.”

Iwaizumi’s voice was soft, and hardly threatening, but Oikawa felt strangely compelled to tell him not just what happened today, but also what happened yesterday, and the day before. He felt like telling him what life was like for him since the first time he was able to fully understand its beauty and its hardships, and he had to pinch himself in order for him to snap out of whatever trance he was in. He tried to sneak a glance at Iwaizumi to try and figure out what that just was, but he was already looking at Oikawa, and despite himself, he was unable to divert his gaze. Neither of them were showing any signs of  looking away, and Oikawa was too proud a person to do so first, even though it would have hardly counted as a loss.

It felt weird to stare at a stranger’s eyes, but as he continued to, it was as if he was staring at an old photograph, as if Iwaizumi was a remnant of a memory that didn’t exist, but felt too real to not have. He could feel his heart clench, but he didn’t understand why, and for the first time since his father had been diagnosed, he felt vulnerable, raw, and completely exposed.

And for once, he didn’t feel the need to hide it. He let the sadness in his eyes remain, didn’t force the smile to stay on his lips, and made it clear just how broken and confused he really was inside. He was neither afraid, nor conscious of it anymore, and Iwaizumi seemed to realize that too as his eyes widened at Oikawa’s sudden display of vulnerability, as if he was the reason for this sudden change.

“Oikawa?” he said out softly, still holding his gaze.

Iwaizumi’s tone remained quiet, and said nothing after that, but it was as if his voice still held power and command, and Oikawa soon found the words tumbling out of his mouth without hesitation or dread, rambling on and on in an attempt to explain how he got into this mess.

_She had approached him with a kind enough expression just as he closed his locker, smiling shyly up at him, mumbling a ‘hey’._

_To say he was shocked that a girl would act this way toward him was an understatement, considering that he wasn’t that known in the school, and much less liked due to his competitive attitude when it came to grades and sports, but with his father sick and their finances low, he had to do everything in order to get a scholarship and a job that could support his family, and popularity just didn’t mean as much to him as it did when he was in middle school._

_Back then, he was the talk of the school. He had excellent grades, a good reputation, and was greatly admired by his peers, but all of that came crumbling down just as high school started. His father, who had taken care of him all these years, had been diagnosed with leukemia, and ever since then, he had thrown away any thought of social status and became engrossed in finding a way to keep his only family as healthy as possible. Because of his new, intense attitude, people tended to stay away from him, and only speak when they found it necessary, and he retaliated with acting as if nothing of the sort could get to him despite how he really felt.  He didn’t exactly enjoy being ostracized, but once he had a goal, he wouldn’t stop until it was fully accomplished._

_He must have taken too long with his thoughts, for she had prodded him tentatively with the book she was carrying in an attempt to gain his attention once more. As soon as he turned to her, she began to introduce herself, explaining how she had wanted to get to know him better before summer break started, claiming she didn’t understand why others would just stay away from him because of a differing attitude._

_He remained skeptical, yet overjoyed that someone could see that he was someone much more that what people made him out to be._

_“Why don’t we talk some more?” she had asked him innocently. “Clubs are still happening, so we have some time.”_

_He wasn’t sure what to say to that at first, but she repeated the question again, and he was hit with an overwhelming feeling he couldn’t quite place before giving in, all reluctance leaving him._

_They had stood there for a long time, discussing and debating their favorite topics, and he was thrilled to have learned that they shared many of the same interests, and at that moment, he was genuinely happy, but what was it that he had always told himself?_

_Good things are never meant to last._

_He had lost track of time then, lost in their debate on whether or not they were alone in the universe, and he was impressed with how much knowledge she had on the subject, and he couldn’t help but notice how she gradually came closer to him as she did so, and he didn’t know why, but he found himself unable to resist._

_With their lips almost touching, his ears suddenly perked up, and he jerked away as soon as he was able to process the sound, turning to its direction. “Someone’s...singing...”_

_It was soft, and barely audible, but it continued to ring in his ears, and he was captivated. The voice was so familiar, as if he were reliving an old memory, and different scenes flashed in his eyes, the most prominent one having the scent of firewood burning in the air, and he was falling asleep in someone’s arms as the same voice lulled him to sleep._

_He could see nothing more after that; the words being spoken were broken, the person holding him nothing but a blurry silhouette, and the overall scene was hazy, and despite himself knowing this had never happened, the way his heart was pounding told him otherwise._

_But just like that, the picture in his mind began to burn, and he was brought back to reality as the girl now stood before him, but she was no longer the same._

_As if shedding her skin, her complexion melted from tan to a glossy white, her raven hair erupting into flames, and sharp fangs were revealed as she smiled maliciously down at him, red eyes wide with hunger. Paralyzed, he could only watch as she came nearer, her prosthetic leg clanking loudly while the other hobbled on, the wicked grin never leaving her face._

_“Why don’t you stay for a little longer, Tooru?” she cooed, power oozing from her voice, but unlike when they first met, he wasn’t as affected._

_Shaking off any other hold she had on him, he grabbed the book she was previously holding and threw it at her before she could make contact and made a run for it, but she radiated a power so great that he almost tripped when he passed her, barely managing to catch himself in time._

_“We’ll find you sooner or later! You can run, but blood will be shed!” he heard her scream, and he quickened his pace, going wherever his feet would take him._

“...And then I found you.” he finished.

Iwaizumi only nodded, finally looking away from Oikawa as he rested his head against the wall, letting out a long sigh before asking him one more question. “Is that all?”

Oikawa scrunched his nose before saying yes. Had he told Iwaizumi all the important parts? Definitely. Did he need to know what he was thinking at the time as well as his surrealistic visions? No.

“She said _‘we’ll find you sooner or later’._ There are more of them.” Iwaizumi frowned.

Oikawa hadn’t even noticed that until the other pointed it out, and he began to panic. “What? There can’t be! I didn’t see anyone else, and can you please tell me _what is going on?_ Who are ‘they’?”

“ _Not here._ ” Iwaizumi said, his eyes darkening. “As soon as I make this call, we need to go immediately, okay?”

As grateful as he was for being saved, he couldn’t afford to be out any longer. “What do you mean by ‘we’? I have a family to take care of, you know!”

“I understand how you feel, but it’s not safe out here. _Please,_ Oikawa. Once I know it’s safer, I promise to explain everything. I know we barely know each other. I know that you’d rather pretend none of this ever happened, but even though you have no reason to, I need you to trust me.”

Oikawa met Iwaizumi’s eyes again, and just like earlier, his heart began to race, and his decision was made. He nodded before standing up shakily, and Iwaizumi took his hand once more, signaling him to keep quiet as he called his aunt, and they were on the run once again.

_Iwaizumi Hajime._  He thought to himself, staring at their entwined hands. _I have no reason to trust you, and yet I do. With all my heart._


	2. Dark Secrets and Slightly Lighter Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When everyone contains a little darkness, will they simply hide it, or dare to shine a light?

Thankfully, they had gotten to his home without any problems, but he knew that something was bound to happen sooner or later. After explaining today’s turn of events to his aunt, she handed him the keys to her car before engulfing him in a heartfelt hug and promising to stay with Oikawa’s father in their absence, and he promised in return to reach her as soon as they got to their destination.

So far, the car ride had been in total silence, with Iwaizumi mostly keeping his eyes on the road while Oikawa looked out the window, his expression solemn as he continued to stare at the continuous blur of trees, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind right now.

"Will my dad be okay? I mean, no one else is at home to take care of him, and he doesn't really know who your aunt is." he suddenly blurted out.

"I'm sure she'll explain. He's bound to understand." 

"How can you be so certain of that?"

Iwaizumi stayed silent, still unsure how to ease his way into the topic. 

“You said you would explain everything once it was safer.” Oikawa stated, looking at him with tired, pleading eyes.

“That I did..” was all he said at first, turning his gaze to Oikawa for just a moment before deciding it was better to explain to him now while it was just the two of them. “Anything you want to start with?”

“Where are we going?”

Iwaizumi’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as his expression darkened at the question. Oikawa must have noticed that this was a touchy subject for him, for he immediately asked something else. However, it took a few minutes before Iwaizumi could hear him. He had anticipated this to be the first thing Oikawa would have asked, and even somewhat prepared for it, but despite that, here he was, being sucked into a whirlwind of memories and emotions. 

He had been to the Camp years ago, just before he turned thirteen, and it was one of his darkest memories. It was often praised as a sanctuary, a place people like him could go to in order to attain a sort of ‘save haven’, but it was then when he learned that places such as those were often tainted; their darkest parts hidden even from those with prying eyes.

_Zacharias Marsh_. The name still held significant meaning to him even now, and he would never forget the way he died before his eyes on that fateful day. His best friend, and his assigned satyr; the one who had been with him until the end, reduced to another bloodied body on the ground, and he watched every second as that monster sucked the life out of him, watched as the life left his once vibrant green eyes.

He had dealt with monsters before, and often killed them as quickly as he could, but that time was different. He made sure to stab and puncture in order for them to feel pain, but also made sure it wasn’t fatal enough for them to die as quickly as they would have liked. He had no idea how long he had loomed over their body with mad eyes, his blood-stained dagger continuously cutting off flesh, and later using his bare hands to get rid of the rest. He was practically oozing bloodlust, and if someone hadn’t pulled him away, he wasn’t sure if he would have stopped.

He remembered being hauled inside with tears running down his cheeks. He had witnessed the death of one of his dearest friends; someone he loved and cherished, and just like with his father, fate decided to take Zacharias away too. He had expected the first words to come out from the Head Counselor to be something sad, or words of praise for his friend’s bravery, but he was mistaken.

_“Don’t worry, things like that happen all the time around here.”_

As she said that, nothing else mattered to him except getting the fuck away from that place. He had let himself stay for a few weeks with the Hermes Cabin, where all the unclaimed went, but the rage still flowed freely in his veins, and he knew that this place was of no good to him. The others pleaded with him, saying that she did not mean what she said in that way, but he refused to listen. He agreed to visit every now and then if he ever came across any sort of crucial information, but those were only when he deemed it truly necessary. Safe Haven? Sanctuary? Those didn’t matter if they treated each other like trash. Those didn’t matter if they didn’t treat each other like family.

He would be guaranteed safety, yes, but that didn’t matter to him. A place without trust or love was as good as what lay outside.

“Iwaizumi?” Oikawa called out.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Iwaizumi could hear him, but he was so lost in thought, his hate for the Camp as well as himself fuelling, his emotions going haywire. _I could have saved him._

“Hajime?”

_Had I been stronger...I could have…_

“Iwa-chan?” Oikawa’s voice was softer now, and he placed his hand on Iwaizumi’s arm gently in an attempt to calm him down.

He couldn’t quite hear what Oikawa was saying, and Iwaizumi was far from calm at this point, but the small gesture made him loosen his grip ever so slightly, and his breathing became steady once more. He looked over at Oikawa, and it was only then when he realized that his sudden mood swing must have affected him greatly; he was sweating, and was even shaking slightly, and that greatly disturbed Iwaizumi since he knew he caused that by simply becoming emotional. _What if I intend for someone to become that way?_

“Hey, Iwa-chan, are you okay?”

“Wh-What did you just call me?” he croaked. He had always known that Oikawa was, for whatever reason, rather fond of adding that suffix at the end of anyone's name, but he found it odd he would chose to call him that at this very moment. And yet, at the same time, it made him feel even just slightly more at ease.

“I don’t know. It kind of just..feels right.”

“It’s weird.”

“You call me by my last name, which is just as strange!”

“You do the same..”

“Shut up, weirdo.”

“Says the guy who let himself be seduced by alien facts.” he replied, and he let himself laugh, momentarily forgetting about what had happened just a few seconds ago upon seeing Oikawa’s defeated expression. _Damn, this guy really hates to lose._

“You actually _laughed_.” Oikawa said incredulously.

“And? Is there something wrong with that?”

“You kind of..I don’t know. You look like a constipated troll who hates the world most of the time.” he stated, trying to create a face that would look like one before Iwaizumi smacked him, not taking his eyes off the road for a second.

“Don’t be a jackass.”

“You should laugh more. It suits you well, Iwa-chan.”

“Be quiet, Shittykawa.”

“Hey!”

Iwaizumi chuckled quietly to himself as Oikawa crossed his arms and pouted, looking out of the window dramatically as he did so. The guy was annoying, but he was growing on him, and even though he would outright deny it if anyone asked, he enjoyed having his company despite the fact that they had really only just met.

And yet, Iwaizumi couldn’t help but feel a sort of familiarity coming from Oikawa---as if he was in a constant state of deja vu.

“What exactly attacked me today?” Oikawa suddenly blurted out, seeming to have decided to stop giving Iwaizumi the silent treatment.

“Curious again, are we?” he teased.

“Just answer the question!”

“Okay, okay!" he sighed, trying to choose his words carefully. "It was an empousa.”

“A what?”

“A demon of Hecate. They’re kind of like vampires, even though I hate making that comparison. They seduce men by taking the form of beautiful women and prey on them later, as well as having other abilities. Although they make sure not to step out of line in case they anger Hecate, it’s been different for the past few months.”

“A demon..of Hecate? The Greek Goddess? Aren’t those just myths?”

Iwaizumi bit his lip, trying to think of a way to fully explain to him what he actually was without sounding too crazy. “Have you ever had any weird dreams? Strange visions or encounters?”

“Apart from today? No, not really…” he trailed off, and Iwaizumi was left wondering whether or not today’s attack was just a matter of the monster slipping up.

“But..” he continued, running a hand through his hair. “I _have_ seen some strange things. Weird flashes or something of the sort, and horrible nightmares. As if people weren’t really people and things like that. It’s hard to explain, but it’s always happened, but whenever I tried to tell anyone, they’d brush it off. They would tell me it was because of my ADHD or whatever, saying that it made me have an overactive imagination, and that was all those visions were. Just another figment of an imagination caused by yet another one of my disabilities!” he laughed bitterly.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, but please know that your disabilities don’t define you,” he started, knowing just how hard it could be, and that they were treated differently because of it. “But Oikawa, what if I were to tell you it wasn’t your imagination? What if I told you everything you’ve ever seen and experienced was _real_?”

They had reached their destination now, and he stopped the car. He had heard many stories on how people were delighted to go back here, but all he could feel was dread. He glanced at the trees and the overwhelming presence of the Hill, and he could still see the very spot where Zacharias March was killed. Even now, it was too much for him, and before his emotions could go awry once more, he brought his attention back to Oikawa, who was staring at him, dumbfounded.

“How can it be real?” he asked softly, as if both excited, yet terrified of the answer.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve always had this voice in my head-”

“Um.”

“No, not because I’m crazy. Listen, will you?” he snapped, rolling his eyes as Oikawa held up his hands, saying it was an honest mistake.

“My father..left me when my mother died, and it was pretty hard for me, but then _she_ came, and she told me she was my actual mother. When I was ten years old, I came to this place with a satyr named Zacharias, and he told me that I would forever be safe from any monster as long as I stayed inside.”

“And where is he now?”

Iwaizumi’s expression must have darkened, for Oikawa immediately became quiet once more, gesturing for him to continue.

“I am a demigod. I don’t know who my mother is, but while I am human, I am also half god. All demigods have ADHD in order for them to have a sort of heightened sense, making them more aware of their surroundings, which greatly helps them during battle. The dyslexia is because our brains are designed to read Ancient Greek, not English.

I don’t know how you were able to hide your scent for all these years, but most demigods come to this place by either finding it or being escorted in order for them to have a home, while few choose to live a life outside. We are always in danger of dying because of all the monsters, be it empousai, cyclopes, or whatever else, which is why most choose to stay inside in order to learn how to survive and defend themselves.

Whether or not you choose to believe me, _you_ are a demigod. I don’t know who your parent is, so don’t ask me, but all those vivid dreams you’ve had, all the ‘weird’ things you’ve seen, the constant anxiety you experience whenever you’re alone, _everything_ you have regarded as ‘normal’ or ‘just your imagination’ is anything but. They’re very, very _real_.

The attack today proved that the monsters have been keeping an eye on you for a while now, and that’s not a coincidence---you’ll find that coincidences barely exist when you’re a demigod.

I probably left out a lot of things, so the decision of whether or not you want to go on from here is completely yours. I’m not going to force you to suddenly abandon the past seventeen years of your life and go into a completely foreign place with someone you barely know.

But you should know, once you truly accept who you are, hell, even if you don’t, your life won’t be the same anymore. The term ‘normal’ will seem non-existent.”

Iwaizumi took a deep breath before pinching the bridge of his nose. Truth be told, he wasn’t that fond of the speech he just gave seeing as even remembering the Camp was something he hated, and this place was anything but a sanctuary for him, but it was probably the best option for Oikawa, especially since his understanding of the whole thing was still limited.

“I’ll be outside. When you make up your mind, tell me.”

Oikawa nodded with a rather thoughtful expression, and Iwaizumi hoped that he wouldn’t try to deny who he was. _Gods, let him hate who he is, let him take time to get used to it, just don’t let him pretend it isn’t a part of him._

He shook his head, imagining what kind of response Oikawa would give him after that shocking revelation, but the thought was immediately cut short as he heard the crunching of leaves, and the indistinct sound of heavy footsteps.

He tapped on the car’s window, mouthing to Oikawa to lock  the doors and to stay hidden before grabbing his dagger from his boot once more, preparing himself for what may come next.

“I can hear you!” he screamed, attempting to provoke them from wherever it was they were hiding.

He stood there, dagger in hand, waiting, but nothing came. _Was I just hearing things?_

But then he heard it, another rustle somewhere behind him, and as soon as it reached his ears once more, he grabbed for it, pushing them against the car.

“Who the hell are--wait, Oikawa?! I told you to stay inside, for the love of the Gods!” he hissed, releasing him from his grip.

“I thought you might need help!”

Irritated, Iwaizumi was about to tell him to get his ass back in the car--at least, before an arrow whizzed past them both, just barely grazing the other boy’s ear.

_Shit, shit shit!_ Pulling Oikawa behind him, he grabbed for the arrow and threw it in the direction of their opponent, which turned out to be a tall, burly girl, with stringy brown hair and narrowed brown eyes, as if telling them she had every intention of having them killed.

Normally, he wouldn’t worry about one on one fights, but seeing as he had to defend Oikawa too, he wasn’t sure how to act. Not to mention that she just _caught_ the arrow he had just hurled effortlessly before snapping it in half.

He gulped, wondering how he should take her on, before he realized something. _She’s not carrying a quiver, or a bow._

“Oikawa, move! There’s someone-”

Before he could finish, however, he felt the cold touch of metal on his neck, and he could hear Oikawa putting up a struggle behind him.

“It’s been a while, Hajime! Sorry we have to do this-”

Grabbing the person’s arm, he mustered up the strength to throw them to the ground before kicking their stomach to make sure they would stay down. It was the girl’s turn now, and she charged at him with full force, and he barely managed to dodge her punch, but it turned out that dodging so in the first place was a mistake.

“Another step, and we draw blood.” she threatened, motioning for the other boy to bring the knife closer to Oikawa’s throat, and Iwaizumi could do nothing but put his dagger away, admitting defeat.

“Your reflexes are much better. I’ll give you that.” she told him as she helped the one Iwaizumi had hit back up, yelling at the two to help her bring them up the hill.

Oikawa looked at him with a frightened expression as they trudged uphill, but he wasn’t able to comfort him this time. The feeling of hatred and dread came flooding back to him, and he glared at their three attackers.

“I said I was sorry, Hajime!” the blond one exclaimed, pouting.

“Yeah.” he scoffed. “I bet it happens all the time, doesn’t it, Clarisse?”

Her shoulders tensed at the question, but she kept a blank face. “That was a long time ago.” she whispered.

Her response only fueled his already negative feelings, and he knew she could sense it too. The one holding Oikawa almost tripped, the hand that was grasping the knife began to uncontrollably shake, and Iwaizumi could only watch in horror as the boy began to cry uncontrollably as he brought the weapon closer to his stomach, preparing to stab himself, and had it not been for Clarisse, he really would have gone through with it.

“Cecil, _what are you doing?_ ”

She snatched the knife from his hand before taking Oikawa from him, giving Cecil a rather concerned look despite herself. Iwaizumi looked away before he could meet anyone’s eyes. Oikawa's wary expression from the car ride suddenly came back to him, and his breath hitched. Ever since then, he knew he could somehow affect people's emotions and actions, but after witnessing Cecil almost stab himself, he wasn’t sure what to expect anymore. _I guess I didn’t know myself as well as I thought I did._

As Iwaizumi struggled with his thoughts, they reached the top of the hill, and in front of them was the one person he really didn’t want to see: The Camp Director.

“We got them, Chiron.” Clarisse said, pushing Iwaizumi and Oikawa forward.

“You’re..half..” Oikawa stuttered, his eyes looking as if they’d pop out of their sockets at any given moment.

“You’ve grown, Hajime.” he smiled, and Iwaizumi chose to not return it, refusing to look anywhere but at the ground below him, but he didn’t seem to mind. He looked at the two of them for what seemed like forever before speaking, as if sizing them up. “Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyo! so this chapter introduces a lot of things, as well as a glimpse into Iwa-chan's past.   
> also this chapter title is so random but i got nothing lmao  
> same with the summary like wtf  
> that shit is harder than the chapter itself hahaha  
> i'll probably change it in the near future? maybe?  
> haha i hope the story is still making sense.


	3. The Claiming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the lucky parents are..

**IWAIZUMI**

“Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, my ass.” Iwaizumi grumbled as he continued to pace back and forth outside the Big House, wondering what Chiron could be explaining to Oikawa inside. Glaring at the campers who kept staring, he eventually made his way towards the volleyball court, leaning against one of the poles before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He had wanted nothing more than to leave as soon as he saw Oikawa was in capable hands, but the way Clarisse and the others looked at him when he started to mention it made him realize that this situation may be much bigger despite the calm expression Chiron always put on.

The sun had now fully set, with the first few stars just beginning to appear in the dark sky, the small fire that someone had lit earlier on adding a slightly orange hue, and just as it shone in the darkness, it seemed to do the same for him, and his eyes widened as a picture was suddenly unraveling in his mind.

_The same fire seemed to be cackling as he trudged outside some grounds with heavy steps, the sound of metal echoing through the air. A sort of weight surrounded his body, and he seemed to be holding something round-like and heavy in his right arm._

_“Iwaizumi!” someone called out, and their steps soon came in time with his._

_Everything about the other person was blurred, their words choppy, and the only thing Iwaizumi could recognize was the overwhelming feeling of happiness welled up inside him._

_The two of them seemed to just be walking, with few words being exchanged, but the silence between them was a comfortable one. The moon shone brightly, encompassing them in an ethereal glow, and he wasn’t sure why, but the other was laughing, the sound so sweet and melodic that it was practically music to his ears._

_Bit by bit, the face was beginning to clear, and Iwaizumi could feel himself slowly leaning forward, curious as to who this person could be; this ambiguous figure which made him feel so at peace with the world, but shouts suddenly erupted in the background, the once small fire turning into a roaring blaze, and the vision evaporated from the nothingness from which it came from._

Disoriented, he had to now hold onto the pole for support, and he felt himself having to catch his breath, as if the imaginary smoke of the fire ran rampant in this very place.

“Iwaizumi!” _That..voice.._

He looked up to be met by Oikawa’s chocolate brown eyes, and his expression shifted from curiosity to worry as he continued to stare at Iwaizumi, but he barely noticed. His surroundings seem to suddenly become foreign as the Big House was replaced with a magnificent palace, dusk turning into dawn, and Oikawa stood before him clad in leaf green robes, his ears slightly pointed and pierced with jewels, hand outstretched, and Iwaizumi had to blink multiple times in order to convince himself that it was nothing but a mere hallucination.

“Hey, are you okay?” Oikawa asked him, offering him his hand.

Iwaizumi took it warily, that feeling for surreality still overwhelming him, and he took a few more moments to regain his usual composure before assuring Oikawa that he was fine, telling him to go one with whatever it was he was about to say to him.

“I just..thought I saw something.” he told him. _It’s not exactly a lie._

Although he looked like he wasn’t buying Iwaizumi’s sudden nonchalant attitude, he continued on. “Chiron explained a lot of things to me, but he said he wants to meet with the both us tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow..morning..why?” he asked, still taking in deep breaths. That familiar feeling was there again, and it was stronger than ever. The bitter stench of flames burning was still fresh to him, and something nagged at him at the back of his mind,  something he knew to be important, and he desperately tried to grasp at it, but to no avail.

“Are you sure you’re feeling well? You seem kind of..winded.”

Iwaizumi remained silent, unsure of how to answer Oikawa's question. _Why am I even out of breath? What is this pain in my chest? Why the sudden visions?_

"I'll tell you why!" Someone suddenly chirped, and Iwaizumi could feel their arm wrap around his shoulders. "He's pretty out of shape if he let himself get captured by the likes of me."

"Solace." He sighed, prying the blond off of him, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Oikawa scrunch up his nose; a bad habit he always had when something bothered him.

“Aw, it hurts to know you didn’t miss us,” Will feigned a wounded expression, clutching his heart dramatically, and Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

“We were kind of in the middle of something-” Oikawa intervened, but Will brushed him off, and he actually seemed irked for once, which puzzled Iwaizumi.

“So what’s your name, new guy?”

“Tooru, but I prefer if you call me by my last name, which is Oikawa.” he shrugged.

“That’s a pretty odd request, Tooru.” Will commented, nudging Oikawa with his elbow before turning to Iwaizumi once more. “Anyway, I thought we could get that special blood of ours pumping before you guys get too deep into your conversation. First days are always the most important!” He grinned cheekily before grabbing one of the volleyballs on the ground.

_Where the hell did that even come from?_

“We would love to, but it’s getting really late. Besides, we don’t have enough-”

Suddenly, campers began to pop out of nowhere, dividing themselves between him and Will, and Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes at the boy’s innocent expression before sighing. Yes, he had played volleyball before, but it was mostly used as a stress reliever rather than for enjoyment.

Walking over to his side of the court, facing the Big House, he nodded to his fellow teammates; although some were familiar, most of them weren’t, and he wondered how they would all be able to properly communicate during the game. Looking over at Will’s side, he restrained himself from groaning when he saw Clarisse, her choppy hair  pulled back, teeth bared and menacing as ever.

Just as the game was about to start, Iwaizumi placed a hand on Oikawa’s shoulder before mumbling a ‘sorry’, but Oikawa only smiled wickedly, ferocious determination shining in his eyes.

“Let’s kick their ass.”

 

**So far, it had been going back and forth. Sort of.**  Will’s team completely dominated the first set, and they would have won the second had it not been for Clarisse accidentally getting the ball out of bounds, giving them a window of opportunity, and though Iwaizumi was grateful for the little slip-up, it only caused Clarisse to become more attentive as well as aggressive, which he wasn’t all that thrilled about.

Oikawa, however, was a whole other story. Covered in sweat, his eyes narrowed, it was as if he was playing volleyball his whole life. Playing with such grace and intelligence, he radiated an aura of such intense energy and power that it would sometimes overwhelm even him, and it only grew with each out, each taken point, each time they were put into disarray. Iwaizumi noticed that though he was able to hold his own, their teammates were becoming dazed, and he called for a time-out, hoping that it would help them get back into sync, as well as being able to finally end this forsaken game.

He could see that they were all panting and clearly out of breath as they bent down, hands on their knees as they tried to regain their strength. _Even demigods can tire out._ he thought to himself, but Oikawa stood right next to him, as if he was glowing, appearing to be fine and fully capable of continuing until the very end, and Iwaizumi couldn’t help but be amazed at his perseverance as he addressed his teammates.

“I’m sure most of you don’t know me, as I with the lot of you, but I’m Hajime Iwaizumi, and I’m a demigod, obviously, but I chose not to stay--and no, that is not open for question.” he stated with an air of absolute finality as one of the younger campers opened their mouth, but as his closed, another voice spoke.

“You know we’re going to lose, right?”  a boy who looked about fifteen said. Iwaizumi frowned not only at his response, but how much his light brown eyes seemed to be so tired, as if all hope had been drained from them, and he wondered what someone as young as he was could have experienced to have given him this sort of mindset. _But then again, who am I to say that?_

Unsure of how to respond to him, Oikawa took over,  his expression serious as he approached the boy, moving into the middle of the small crowd. “So what?”

Surprised was an understatement; Iwaizumi was completely dumbfounded. Although the two were anything but friends growing up, they had had their fair share of projects together, and if he knew one thing about Oikawa Tooru, it was that he was an absolute perfectionist; He was intelligent, but far from what they would call a genius, and Iwaizumi knew he was aware of it, for that made him work twice as hard. He rejected inferiority, vulnerability, and weakness, but here he was now, encouraging the very things he stood against,

“So what if we lose? You can’t win all your battles, can you?” he exclaimed, his voice unfaltering.  “I’m quite aware that I’m new to all of this, and you must be asking yourselves why you should listen to some new guy preaching, but in all seriousness, _so what?_

Individually, we’re all weaker. We have our strengths, and we have our weaknesses, but that just leaves more room for improvement, doesn’t it? ‘Losing’ is one thing, but learning from it is another. Winning may give you glory, but losing will give you grace. You can’t win all your battles,” he stopped for a moment, ruffling the boy’s dusty brown hair before continuing. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t put up a fight.”

He looked back at Iwaizumi and gave him a real, genuine smile, and he couldn’t help but smile toothily in return, which was something he wasn’t exactly used to.

“And besides,” he told them, standing next to Oikawa. “You can’t win by yourselves. There are six players on the volleyball court. It doesn’t matter if you’re against Clarisse, Annabeth, Will, or whoever else you deem so mighty...

Because the team with the better six is stronger, and if you don’t think so, well, either you’ve never played volleyball before, or you’re a complete dumbass.” As he said this, something began to well up inside him; a sort of strength, a sort of power, and he could feel the hope and happiness inside him come oozing out, slowly, but surely.

The rest of the team laughed nervously at his comment, half with reassurance, the other not knowing if he was being entirely serious or not. _Well, I wasn’t. Kind of._

Oikawa put his arm around Iwaizumi, that stupid grin never leaving his face, but he chose not to pry him off; the feeling didn’t seem foreign, and Iwaizumi took note that this must have been one of the happiest moments he’s ever experienced, and he wondered why.   _I mean-_

“Gods, you two, this is just volleyball!” a girl, this time, yelled from the back jokingly.   _Took the words right out of my mouth._

“Not really.” Oikawa whispered ever so quietly that only Iwaizumi could hear him, and his words left him more things to wonder about. “But even so,” he continued, smiling down at Iwaizumi, his voice booming this time. “If we’re going to lose-”

“We lose together.” he finished.

 

**And lose they did,** but much to the other team’s surprise, they were neither aggravated, nor upset, but were instead cheering for themselves as well as for Iwaizumi and Oikawa, screaming “Captains! Captains!” as they did so, which both shocked and flattered the two boys.

Oikawa went over and practically tackled Iwaizumi in a hug, laughing as if his life depended on it, and the sound was so soothing that it continued to ring in his ears, and he returned the gesture despite himself, smiling uncontrollably.  

Silence suddenly fell around them, and Iwaizumi let go only to see Oikawa encompassed in a brilliant golden light, and as it began to fade, he was now barefoot, clad in a glossy white exomis with an expensive looking cloth tied around his waist, but the most prominent thing was probably the wreath of laurel leaves on his head, which seemed to shine gold under the firelight. Over his head, two large wings appeared.

As soon as the symbol was shown, the campers realized the situation at hand as they began to stir, half of them kneeling out of courtesy while the remaining stood in awe even as Chiron approached the volleyball court.

Iwaizumi could only stand there, absolutely captivated at the beautiful, regal figure that now stood before him, but that moment was a short one as the campers now began to look at him, and it was only then when he noticed that he was surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors, and as he inspected himself, his shoes began to be replaced by leather sandals that wrapped around his ankles, his old clothes now gone as he now wore a simple, yet elegant chiton of varying shades of green and blue which strangely resembled sea foam.  

He noticed most of the campers were now staring at him, going back and forth between him and Oikawa, and he felt extremely uncomfortable at the situation, but he tried to keep his emotions in check.

Chiron began to speak, his voice cutting through the crisp night air. Addressing Oikawa first, he kneeled. “Victory’s blood, Tooru Oikawa, son of Nike!”

Those present cheered, and Oikawa’s face was a mix of nervousness and excitement. Now turning to Iwaizumi, he gave him a small smile before looking over his head, and Iwaizumi fought the urge to groan as he saw the fading image of a dove.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was so fun to write hahaha  
> anyone know who iwa-chan's parent is by now?  
> sorry it's a bit short!

**Author's Note:**

> Firs fic on here!  
> School is quite overwhelming, so I'm sorry if updates aren't as frequent as you'd like them to be!  
> Originally, this was only supposed to be a one shot, but with all the sub plots I came up with, it turned into a long ass story instead, haha.


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